At a time when all political parties are engaged in wheeling and dealing for Senate elections after ECP’s announcement, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appears least worried and the level of activity can be gauged by the fact that only a few party leaders have submitted applications with the party’s central secretariat, despite six days left in the deadline set by the PML-N.
The PML-N started issuing forms to party candidates for Senate polls on January 11 and set January 25 as the deadline. However, the frequency of forms submission has remained low.
Amongst major reasons behind the low-spirited attitude is a lack of focus by party leadership toward Senate polls, with the party’s top brass eyeing early general elections.
“Contrary to the notions of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, party hawks want snap polls before Senate elections and that is why a majority of likely candidates are confused and have yet to decide whether to go for Senate polls or wait and vie for party ticket later,” sources said.
A PML-N senior leader was of the view that another factor behind the slow response was weak organisational setup and imposed decisions. Although the process has started, candidates already knew whose names were going to be announced eventually, he added.
Compared to the PML-N, the PPP has received more than 550 applications for Senate polls.
PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid told Pakistan Today that he did not know the exact number of applications submitted so far. “It is basically an ongoing process and it is difficult to gauge the frequency of movement in this regard,” he added.
PML-N Finance Secretary Sardar Ayaz Saddiq said per tendency prevailing in the party, announcement for candidates were made at the last minute even after the deadline. He said though applications were being submitted, he did not know their exact number. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the Senate election would be held on March 2. Candidates can file their papers by February 13 and 14 to contest elections.
Statistics reveal that the PPP appears set to gain most and others parties lose all in the forthcoming elections.
The PML-N and the ANP, ruling Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, respectively, would also gain significantly, but the representation of the MQM in the new Senate is likely to remain unchanged.
The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is expected to lose complete representation in both Houses of parliament.
The calculations manifested that if all members vote strictly for their party candidates and no seat adjustments are done, the PPP will emerge as the single largest party in the Upper House for the first time in the country’s parliamentary history.
The PPP is expected to improve its strength from existing 27 to 42 senators. Only five of its 27 senators will retire in March, whereas the party is set to win 20 of the 54 seats for which elections will be held, thanks to its majority in Sindh Assembly and better position in the Punjab and Balochistan assemblies.
At present, the PML-N has seven senators and only Ishaq Dar will be retiring in March. However, due to its majority in the Punjab Assembly, it is expected to win another seven seats and its total membership in the Upper House will become 13. The PML-Q will be the biggest loser in the elections as 20 of its 21 senators will be retiring in March. Party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will be the sole representative of the party in the Upper House.
But the PML-Q is expected to get a maximum of seven seats in the next elections — thus PML-Q’s strength is expected to be reduced to just eight from the existing 21. The ANP is expected to improve its position in the Senate. At present it has six senators and only Ilyas Ahmed Bilour is to retire in March. However, the party is expected to secure five seats in the election, thus its representation is expected to increase to 10.